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On-call bus in Western Pomerania: Passengers urgently demand improvements!
The on-call bus in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania improves mobility in rural regions. New offers and challenges are highlighted.
On-call bus in Western Pomerania: Passengers urgently demand improvements!
Mobility in rural regions of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is finally picking up speed, but Western Pomerania still seems to be falling by the wayside. While innovative on-call bus systems are already functioning smoothly in the western districts of the state, Western Pomerania-Greifswald is lagging behind in its nationwide implementation. This means that citizens here only have limited access to flexible mobility options, such as Baltic Sea newspaper reported.
The on-call bus enables people in rural areas to conveniently order buses by calling or using a QR code. The western districts are already well covered, while Vorpommern-Greifswald with only 55% and Vorpommern-Rüge with 70% still need improvement compared to other areas. The existing “Ilse” call bus in Vorpommern-Greifswald offers a certain degree of flexibility, but has not fundamentally changed since its introduction in August 2018. What is particularly problematic is that school buses do not run during the holidays and citizens are often dependent on their own vehicles.
Financial support and planned expansions
Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig announced that up to 2.49 million euros will be made available for the further development of the on-call bus system in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district. Loud Government MV A total of 13.5 million euros are available for 2024 to further expand a nationwide on-call bus system. In addition to the support in Vorpommern-Greifswald, a step towards improving mobility is also to be taken in Vorpommern-Rügen by expanding the offer to include the “VVR-Surfer” on-call bus.
There are currently interesting developments in other districts. The rubi on-call bus, for example, was introduced in the Rostock district in 2021 and is very popular. From June 30, 2023, the offer in the Rostock district will be further expanded. Passengers can now use the on-call bus wherever regular buses are not available. There are a variety of booking options – whether by telephone, online or via the “MV FÄHRT GUT” app.
Challenges and prospects
Despite this progress, those responsible in Western Pomerania-Greifswald face major challenges. There is a lack of staff, vehicles and the necessary data provision for an effective implementation of the on-call bus system. Discussions with transport companies have so far not produced the desired results. That didn't stop the initiative of young people from starting an online petition to demand a better on-call bus service.
Despite these difficulties, there is light at the end of the tunnel: the on-call bus on Usedom is expected to start on January 1, 2026. This shows that the entire country is slowly recognizing the benefits of a comprehensive, flexible local transport system and is continuing to work to improve mobility for all citizens. With the gradual introduction of nationwide on-call bus routes, everyone could soon have access to the flexibility of on-call buses without having to rely on their own car.